"Part Of Me Wants To Do This And Part Of Me Wants To Do That""Parts Integration With In-Depth NLP

* Part of me wants to sing, but part of me is scared I'll make a fool of myself.

Neuro linguistic programming NLP is perfect for these kind of inner debates. It offers several techniques to help us negotiate with ourselves and find the perfect answer to these types of dilemmas.

One NLP technique that is widely used for issues of this kind is the so-called Visual Squash. It works as follows:

* The Visual Squash takes the two separate "parts" of us that want two different outcomes

* We represent these parts as two different visual images

* We hold each image in one of our two hands

* We ask one part what its intention is, what it wants for us when it wants us to behave a certain way, for example what do I get by singing? Perhaps pleasure.

* We continue to ask for higher and higher positive intentions for the part. Perhaps the pleasure brings me joy, and the joy brings me peace.

* We then ask the other part for its positive intention for not wanting me to sing. Perhaps it wants to protect me. Protection brings safety and safety brings peace.

* As we continue the exercise we may want to use other NLP techniques such as association, perceptual positions etc to build rapport between the "parts"

* As the parts "negotiate" and reach agreement, we can encourage the hands to move together to form a higher, combined, new "part"

* We can then encourage this new part to be brought back into the body and an inner integration can be achieved.

The problem that sometimes occurs in running the traditional NLP Visual Squash is that the unconscious mind does not fully engage in the process, and no real integration occurs. Those skilled in hypnosis can see this by the way the client's hands move.

That is why here on our NLP Training in New York, we teach what we call In-Depth NLP. In-Depth NLP uses principles of hypnosis to fully engage the unconscious mind in NLP exercises. We teach In-Depth NLP with a certified hypnosis trainer, to ensure that hypnotic principles are used.

In order to use the Visual Squash exercise in hypnosis, we first induce trance. Given that the Visual Squash places the competing "parts" on opposite hands, and uses hand movement to produce parts integration, it makes sense to use a hypnotic trance induction that utilizes the hypnosis principles of arm catalepsy or arm levitation.

Using arm catalepsy or arm levitation (or both) as the hypnotic induction already transfers control of the arm(s) to the unconscious mind, in hypnosis. It is therefore a small step, once hypnotic trance is induced, to suggest to the unconscious mind that the arms can and will move hypnotically, as integration takes place.

The trained hypnotist can and will see the arms move in a hypnotic manner, quite different from conscious movement, if the conscious mind is fully involved in the technique.

These are the principles of In-Depth NLP; to fully and completely engage the unconscious mind in the change process. By doing so, we generate change that is more compelling than exercises where the conscious mind has more control.